Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm meets the Vietnamese community in Thailand on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photos

UDON THANI — Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm encouraged Vietnamese community in Thailand to preserve national cultural identity, maintain ties with Việt Nam and further deepen Việt Nam-Thailand friendship and strengthen connections between overseas Vietnamese entrepreneurs and businesses and their counterparts in Việt Nam.

He was speaking on Wednesday during a meeting with staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy and Consulate General in Thailand along with nearly 600 overseas Vietnamese living, studying and working in Thailand, as well as representatives of the Vietnamese community from Laos.

The meeting was held in Udon Thani as part of his three-day official visit to Thailand.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phạm Việt Hùng said the Vietnamese community in Thailand currently has more than 100,000 people. Most overseas Vietnamese in Thailand now enjoy stable lives, with many becoming successful and earning prestige in areas such as education, healthcare and business, gaining the respect and appreciation of Thai authorities and people.

The number of newly arrived Vietnamese coming to Thailand for business, study and work continues to rise, making the community more diverse and increasing the ranks of Vietnamese experts, intellectuals and entrepreneurs in the country.

Community members say they closely follow developments in their homeland and take pride in Việt Nam’s major achievements, the ambassador said.

He said the presence of cultural works, Vietnamese pagodas, President Hồ Chí Minh memorial sites and Vietnamese towns in various localities, vividly demonstrates the patriotism, national pride and attachment to their roots among Vietnamese people in Thailand, as well as the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Briefing the community on domestic developments, Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm noted that after more than 80 years of nation-building and development and 40 years of the Đổi mới (Renewal) process, Việt Nam has risen vigorously to become one of the region’s and the world’s dynamic and fast-growing economies.

Recently, Việt Nam successfully carried out major reforms in the organisation of the state apparatus, administrative restructuring and the building of a two-tier local government system. The system is gradually operating stably and effectively, with the aim of improving governance and better serving the people, contributing to the success of the 14th National Party Congress and the elections for the 16th National Assembly and people’s councils for the 2026-31 term, he said.

The top leader said during his visit to Thailand, he would discuss future cooperation orientations with Thai leaders, affirming that the Vietnamese community in Thailand serves as an important bridge helping strengthen friendship and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Vietnamese people in Thailand attending the event.

He expressed confidence in the younger generation of Vietnamese in Thailand, who have the valuable advantage of growing up in an integrated environment, understanding Thai culture while maintaining Vietnamese roots.

The top leader also encouraged them to study well, obey local laws, work professionally, preserve the Vietnamese language, understand national history and become dynamic bridges promoting cooperation between the two countries.

Expressing gratitude to the Thai State, authorities and people for their long-standing support and goodwill toward the Vietnamese community, he said such generosity and favourable conditions have helped overseas Vietnamese stabilise their lives, integrate and thrive while preserving their cultural identity and continuing to serve as a bridge of friendship between Việt Nam and Thailand.

He affirmed that the Party and State always regard overseas Vietnamese, including the Vietnamese community in Thailand, as an inseparable part of the great national unity bloc, a valuable resource for national development and an important bridge for strengthening Việt Nam-Thailand relations.

On that basis, the Party and State will continue supporting overseas Vietnamese in securing stable legal status, integrating well into local society, preserving cultural identity and maintaining ties with the homeland, he said.

He expressed hope that the Vietnamese community in Thailand would remain united, stable and strong, integrate well into local society, contribute positively to the host country, preserve national cultural identity, maintain ties with Việt Nam and further deepen Việt Nam-Thailand friendship.

He encouraged the community to continue supporting one another, building the image of Vietnamese people in Thailand as diligent, compassionate, law-abiding and socially responsible, while continuing to promote the value of cultural sites and community works and promote investment, trade and cooperation between the two countries.

The Association of Vietnamese in Thailand and its member organisations should continue serving as a common home that unites and supports the community, while Vietnamese representative agencies in Thailand should continue strengthening diplomacy, citizen protection and community support efforts, truly serving as reliable support for overseas Vietnamese to share their aspirations and affection for the homeland, he said.

The same day, Lâm offered incense and flowers in tribute to President Hồ Chí Minh at the Hồ Chí Minh Memorial Site in Udon Thani.

In a solemn atmosphere, the top leader, his spouse and members of the delegation observed a minute of silence in memory of President Hồ Chí Minh, a genius leader, a great teacher of the Vietnamese revolution, a national liberation hero and an eminent cultural figure.

After the incense-offering ceremony, General Secretary and President Lâm visited the simple thatched house preserving memories of the late leader’s revolutionary activities in Thailand during 1928–1929. He wrote in the memorial guestbook and presented books and documents about President Hồ Chí Minh to the management board of the site.

In the guestbook, the top leader expressed his emotion at visiting the memorial site and highly appreciated the efforts of the Vietnamese community in Thailand in preserving and upgrading the complex. He commended the community for upholding solidarity, preserving the Vietnamese language and national cultural identity, and fostering friendship between the people of Việt Nam and Thailand.

He stressed that the memorial site is not only a historical and cultural landmark of special significance to the Vietnamese community in Thailand, but also a vivid symbol of the close bonds between the two peoples over decades.

General Secretary and President Tô Lâm and his spouse visit the Hồ Chí Minh Memorial Site in Udon Thani on Wednesday.

On the occasion of the 136th birth anniversary of President Hồ Chí Minh, General Secretary and President Lâm and his spouse planted a commemorative tree at the site to promote the spirit of studying and following the late leader’s teachings.

The Hồ Chí Minh Memorial Site in Udon Thani preserves memories of a period of President Hồ Chí Minh’s revolutionary activities in Thailand from 1928 to 1929.

During his stay in Udon Thani, he lived closely with the local Vietnamese community, organised political activities, and mobilised support for Việt Nam’s struggle for national independence.

The site has been developed into a historical learning centre and museum with contributions from the local Vietnamese community. It has become a popular destination welcoming tens of thousands of visitors each year and stands as a symbol of the enduring friendship between Việt Nam and Thailand. — VNS